Punta Gorda imposes moratorium on car washes, storage facilitiesStephen Deutsch, Charlotte County commissioner, accused of using racial slur
Punta Gorda imposes moratorium on car washes, storage facilities Approvals for new car washes and storage facilities in Punta Gorda will be put on pause for a period of 180 days during a moratorium begininng after the next City Council meeting Feb. 19.
Stephen Deutsch, Charlotte County commissioner, accused of using racial slur A Charlotte County commissioner is involved in an investigation after being accused of using a racial slur.
SANIBEL Sanibel Recreation Center to host pickleball tournament In celebration of Healthy Heart Month, Sanibel Recreation Center invites the public to the Cupid’s Court Indoor Pickleball Tournament.
cape coral Nurse accused of intentionally starving child with severe medical conditions The Cape Coral Police Department has arrested a woman accused of child neglect while working as a licensed practical nurse.
City Council again rejects outdoor dining for Olde Naples Building Naples City Council rejected an outdoor dining proposal for the historic Olde Naples Building on Third Street South.
Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers advocate against youth gun violence Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is campaigning against youth gun violence with a new Public Service Announcement.
78-acre prescribed burn planned in Collier County The South Florida Water Management District plans to conduct a 78-acre prescribed burn on Thursday in Collier County.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers man accused of stabbing 3 men at Gentleman’s club The Fort Myers Police Department has arrested a man accused of stabbing three men at the Allure Gentleman’s Club.
NAPLES Naples Automotive Experience 2025 begins, benefiting St. Matthew’s House The Naples Chapter of the Ferrari Club of America presents the Naples Automotive Experience 2025, benefiting St. Matthew’s House.
Police report released for Fort Myers child abduction, search for suspect ongoing A mother chased down the man who kidnapped her toddler in Fort Myers. This dramatic event is part of the ongoing investigation into the Amber Alert issued earlier this week.
FORT MYERS Spring training kicks off as Boston Red Sox truck arrives in Fort Myers Baseball fans in Fort Myers are eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Boston Red Sox equipment truck.
the weather authority Warm and dry for your Thursday plans The Weather Authority is tracking a continuing warm stretch, as we can expect dry conditions along with plenty of sun this Thursday.
LABELLE 17-year-old arrested after deputies respond to gunshots at LaBelle Dollar General According to the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office, there is a large presence of law enforcement in the area of Cowboy Way and Collinswood Parkway in LaBelle.
GOLDEN GATE Golden Gate love triangle turns violent with screwdriver attack A screwdriver became the weapon of choice in a dramatic altercation between an ex-lover and a current partner in Golden Gate, leaving one man injured.
CHARLOTTE HARBOR Charlotte County’s Sunseeker Resort sale sparks community discussion Big changes could be on the horizon for the Sunseeker Resort in Charlotte Harbor; the company that owns the resort recently announced plans to sell it.
Punta Gorda imposes moratorium on car washes, storage facilities Approvals for new car washes and storage facilities in Punta Gorda will be put on pause for a period of 180 days during a moratorium begininng after the next City Council meeting Feb. 19.
Stephen Deutsch, Charlotte County commissioner, accused of using racial slur A Charlotte County commissioner is involved in an investigation after being accused of using a racial slur.
SANIBEL Sanibel Recreation Center to host pickleball tournament In celebration of Healthy Heart Month, Sanibel Recreation Center invites the public to the Cupid’s Court Indoor Pickleball Tournament.
cape coral Nurse accused of intentionally starving child with severe medical conditions The Cape Coral Police Department has arrested a woman accused of child neglect while working as a licensed practical nurse.
City Council again rejects outdoor dining for Olde Naples Building Naples City Council rejected an outdoor dining proposal for the historic Olde Naples Building on Third Street South.
Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers advocate against youth gun violence Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is campaigning against youth gun violence with a new Public Service Announcement.
78-acre prescribed burn planned in Collier County The South Florida Water Management District plans to conduct a 78-acre prescribed burn on Thursday in Collier County.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers man accused of stabbing 3 men at Gentleman’s club The Fort Myers Police Department has arrested a man accused of stabbing three men at the Allure Gentleman’s Club.
NAPLES Naples Automotive Experience 2025 begins, benefiting St. Matthew’s House The Naples Chapter of the Ferrari Club of America presents the Naples Automotive Experience 2025, benefiting St. Matthew’s House.
Police report released for Fort Myers child abduction, search for suspect ongoing A mother chased down the man who kidnapped her toddler in Fort Myers. This dramatic event is part of the ongoing investigation into the Amber Alert issued earlier this week.
FORT MYERS Spring training kicks off as Boston Red Sox truck arrives in Fort Myers Baseball fans in Fort Myers are eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Boston Red Sox equipment truck.
the weather authority Warm and dry for your Thursday plans The Weather Authority is tracking a continuing warm stretch, as we can expect dry conditions along with plenty of sun this Thursday.
LABELLE 17-year-old arrested after deputies respond to gunshots at LaBelle Dollar General According to the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office, there is a large presence of law enforcement in the area of Cowboy Way and Collinswood Parkway in LaBelle.
GOLDEN GATE Golden Gate love triangle turns violent with screwdriver attack A screwdriver became the weapon of choice in a dramatic altercation between an ex-lover and a current partner in Golden Gate, leaving one man injured.
CHARLOTTE HARBOR Charlotte County’s Sunseeker Resort sale sparks community discussion Big changes could be on the horizon for the Sunseeker Resort in Charlotte Harbor; the company that owns the resort recently announced plans to sell it.
FPL State regulators Tuesday approved allowing Florida Power & Light to collect an additional $810 million from customers in 2022 amid higher-than-expected costs for natural gas that plays a key role in fueling power plants. The decision by the state Public Service Commission will add nearly $7 a month to the bills of residential customers who use 1,000-kilowatt-hours of electricity. The increases will start in January. FPL and other utilities, which are heavily dependent on natural gas, have grappled in recent months with higher fuel costs. Utilities pass along such costs to consumers and are not supposed to earn profits on them. Maria Moncada, an attorney for FPL, told the commission Tuesday that the utility has taken a “long-term view” to try to mitigate spikes in gas prices. That has included making power plants more efficient. “Whenever we generate a megawatt-hour of electricity, we do so using less fuel,” Moncada said. But representatives of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Vote Solar, Florida Rising and the Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida argued that FPL has not done enough to shield customers from such increases. They pointed to a need for ramped-up programs to help consumers use less electricity. “Unfortunately, for years, FPL has done little to insulate customers from this kind of price shock,” said George Cavros, an attorney for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. FPL, Tampa Electric Co., and Duke Energy Florida all warned this fall that they might need to collect more from customers in 2022 because of higher-than-expected fuel costs. Tampa Electric filed a proposal last month to collect about $273 million more starting in February. The commission has not made a decision on that proposal. The utility industry uses 1,000-kilowatt-hour residential bills as a benchmark for making rate comparisons. FPL customers outside of Northwest Florida who use 1,000-kilowatt-hours had been expected to pay $113.85 a month in January. With Tuesday’s decision, that number will increase to $120.67, according to the commission. Customers in Northwest Florida, who are transitioning as part of a merger between FPL and Gulf Power, had been expected to pay $148.78 a month for 1,000-kilowatt-hours in January. That number will go to $155.61, according to the commission. Utilities each year file projected fuel costs that regulators then use to determine how much will be charged to customers in the subsequent year. FPL made such a filing Sept. 3, with regulators approving it in early November. But before the approval, FPL — along with Duke and Tampa Electric — had already warned that natural gas prices were higher than expected. The approval Tuesday is what is known as a “mid-course correction,” a sort of add-on to what was approved last month. FPL will recoup the additional costs over next year. To try to ease the blow to customers, Commissioner Andrew Fay asked Tuesday about the possibility of spreading out the costs over a longer period of time. Moncada, however, pointed to volatility of fuel prices and said the utility decided it was better to recover the money over one year instead of, for example, two years. “You never know when that problem (higher fuel prices) is going to get compounded,” she said. Commission Chairman Gary Clark also raised questions about forecasts in recent days that showed natural-gas costs becoming lower. But the commission approved a recommendation from its staff members to approve FPL’s request.